Suction cleaner



Aug. 13, 1940.

D. B. REPLOGLE SUCTION CLEANER Original Filed Aug. 5, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 SUCTION CLEANER Original Filed Aug. '5, 1936 Sheets-Sheet 2 nnentor Gttorneg Aug. 13, 1940.

D. B. REPLOGLE S'Ucnou CLEANER Originalfiled Aug. 5. 1936 5 sheets-shea; 5t

mum.

" 'a-Repu@ Snventor Cttm'ncul D. B. lfuaPLocaLE4 2,210,953

SUC'IIONV CLEANER Original Filed Aug. 5, 1936 Aug. 13, 1940.

5 sheets-sheet 5 Gttorneg Patented ug. 13, 1940 UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE autres f suc'rroN CLEANER Daniel Benson Replogle, Berkeley, Calif., assignor to The Ohio Citizens Trust Company, as trustee, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation o! Ohio '.orirlnal application August s', .1936, serial No. 94,439. Divided and this Yapplication July av,

1937, Serial No. 156,03

s claims. (ci. l15V-li).

ne relates in .c1 apparatus .and more particularly to portable electric .clean-- ers ofl the air-method type which may be vse lectively employed -for floor cleaning purposes or by the use of suitable extension devices may be vide aldoor tool for such apparatus, equipped with v a pair of rotatable agitators, namely a brush-and a beater, rotating in opposite directions. One of the effects of this arrangement'is that the beater tends to move the nap of the carpet or other oor covering in one direction and the brush in the oppositedirection while the combined action of the two agitators is to leave the nap standing 20 substantially upright after having been thoroughly cleaned, especially when'the brush-and beating action is combined with the action of an air stream.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for propelling the cleaner in one direction or the other according as the suction box is tilted in one direction or theother about its end rollers.

A further object is to' provide a slrlrt' for the o floor tool adapted'to at all times engage the surface being cleaned in spite of tilting of the suc- 'tion box.

Other objects will be apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and the 5 following detailed description, in which are set forth illustrative embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the assembled device, parts being shown in elevation while the bag holderis shownin section for the purpose of disclosing the interior;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same portions being broken .away for the purpose of illustrating Ydetails of construction:

Fig. 3 is a verticalsectional vview of the door tool taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the floor tool with the motor dome and motor removed;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the door tool with a surface engaging skirt attached thereto;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the skirt shown detached from the door tool;

Fig.. 'l is a detailed sectional view on line 1--1 of Fig. 5 showing the seal interposed between the 'skirt and the suction box;

A Fig. 8 is a fragmenten view, partly in section andv partly in elevation, showing a portion of the revolving brush and the mounting of'thev same V in the suction box, the section being taken on the-line :1 -sorrise; 1 5.

Fig. 9 is a vdetailed view sliowing the yielding mounting for the brush shaft;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section n line Ill- 40 of Fig. 5 showing therollcr support (for the suction box and skirt. 1o

,The apparatus comprises several principal elements which will b'e described in detail; The first of these is a wheeled door tool Afwhich encloses the power plant and suction producing means in 15 the upper portion thereof, and a suction box or nozzle in the lower portion having agitating means actuated by the power` plant. The second j principal element is the dust collecting and air iiltering device B which is swingingly and detachably connected to the floor tool and is equipped with a rigid suction pipe projecting therefrom which serves the function of a handle grip whereby the wheeled cleaner maybe moved to and fro across the floor. The'third principalv element is a exible, hollow extension member C, communicating with the iilter element B which may either be connected to an outlet pipe leading from the suction box or nozzle or may be detached vfrom said tool and used with or without auxiliary extension devices or tools for cleaning walls, ceilings, furniture or even the oor itself.

Referring'to'the drawings in detail, the iloor tool A houses within its upper portion a suitable power plant or suction producing means which l includes a motor Il'and a centrifugal fan Il driven thereby having blades lla at its periphery.

This arrangement of elements isbest shown in Fig. 3. Air is discharged from the fan casing l1 through an outlet I2 shown in Fig. `4 and air is 40 drawnv into the fan easing through a centrally discharging intake Il.v This intake, as best shown in Flgai and 2, has connected thereto a flexible hose -Il or other equivalent connecting means,

as, for example, the swinging elbow joint or a pair of such joints as illustrated in my Patent No.4

2,009,435, dated July 30, 1936. The ilexible hose` Il is connected at its opposite end to a tank .or caddy Il which'houses the dust collecting and air ltering unit. "The tank is preferably cylindrical in form and may be of metal, hard fibre, Bakelite or other suitable material. 'I'he caddy or housing vIll is swingingly connected to the iioor tool by any suitable means. As shown in Fig. 2,

a pair of' bracket ams le are connected to the @Si fan casing l1 and project upwardly and rearwardly therefrom on each side of the air inlet I 3 and the hose I4. Corresponding arms IB-I are carried by a removable cap 2U at the base of the caddy and these are hingedly connected at I9 to the arms I6. The connection I9 is preferably adjustable and may be made suiilciently tight so that the weight of the caddy and dust collecting means housed therein will be supported substantially rigidly, or the joint may be loosenedto permit the caddy and handle projecting there- I from to be moved up and down to permit sweeping under furniture or other low objects.

The end of the caddy opposite the removable cap 20 is closed by a transparent cover 2| which may be of glass, Celluloid or other suitable material. This cover is shown as having a flange 22 covered by a U shaped rubber band 22a serving as buffer and as gasket and may be detachably secured to the caddy proper by any suitable means as, for example, stirrup clamps 23-23. The lowerV half of the cap or cover is irregular in form and is provided with an eccentric opening 24 in a neck or nipple 25. Over this nipple the mouth portion of a dust collector bag 26 is drawn, such bag being preferably composed of porous paper or the' like. The mouth of the bag is detachably secured by suitable means, as for example, by a folded over rubber band 21.

Owing to the eccentric mounting of the nipple 25 a space is left in the upper portion of the caddy for a lamp 26 which serves to illuminate the transparent cap and to show the operator the quantity o f dust beine.r drawn into the filter.

A sustaining outer receptacle or bag 29, of l ing 30 into which is tted a tubular member `3| which is preferably rigid and is adapted to serve as the handle grip portion whereby the cleaner as a whole may be moved across the ioor. The

handle may be composed of hard libre, Bakelite, metal, or other suitable material and isv preferably cemented or otherwise permanently secured to the cap 2| so that the handle serves as a means for withdrawing the cap and inner dust collecting bag from the caddy.

To the upper end of the tube 3| may be connected a flexible hose 32 to which may be secured any suitable'cleaning tools, suction nozzles or extension devices. As shown in Fig. 1, the end of the hose 32 is fitted within an outlet pipe 33 of the floor tool nozzle, which nozzle is shown as formed by securing a rectangular box or casing 34 below the fan casing I1 by means of suitable fastening device 35, as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The suction box or casing 34 is fluid-tight and constitutes a true suction nozzle, the interior 36 of which is entirely cut off from the fan chamber 31 within the casing I1.

The details of construction of the floor tool A are best shown by reference to Figs. 3, 4 and 5. As illustrated, the fan casing l1 is substantially circular in form with a reduced housing 38 or top constituting the motor dome.

'Ihe motor shaft 39 is vertical and is provided with upper and lower bearings 40 and 4| respectively. As shown in Fig. 4 the lower bearing I is supported by a spider 42 which carries the inlet passage I3 leading to the Ian motor. It will be noted that air from the inlet 3 enters the fan centrally, adjacent the lower bearing 4| and serves to cool said bearing. This construction would not be permissible were it not for the fact that 4the entering air has already been nltered, thus removing dust, lint and particles of string which would otherwise wrap around the motor shaft and interfere with its operation..

The fan itself may be of a comparatively large size, say of a diameter of 10 inches or more, and

it is preferably provided near the periphery with4 a rather large number of blades IIa, say a dozen or more. Where such a large diameter fan is used, the speed of the motor may be slowed down and the power is absorbed by the greater number of blades giving impulse to the moving air. Within the suction box 26 are preferably mount ed a pair of rotatable agitators 43 and 44 which are adapted to be actuated in opposite directions by the motor shaft when a suitable clutch operated by inserting the end of the hose pipe 32 in the outlet 33 is actuated. As shown, the agitator 43 is in the form of a beatercarrying flexible bearing strips. For driving the agitator-s belts 45 are wound about a sleeve or pulley 46 surrounding an extension of the motor shaft. This sleeve is provided with a cone clutch member 41 adapted to engage a similarly shaped portion 48 of the fan shroud. The clutch member 41 is carried by a spring lever 49 pivoted at 59 and having an upturned resilient portion at the end opposite the pivot. The lever 49 tends to drop by gravity until caught by a bracket 52 carried by the top of the suction box. thereby' disengaging the clutch so that the agitators remain inoperative, but when the end of the hose 32 is inserted within the box outlet 33, this end engages the upturned cam portion 5| forcing it through a slot 53 in the outlet pipe, at the same time raising the lever 49 and engaging the clutch members 41 and 46.

The suction box 34 is preferably provided with a skirt 54 which isshown attached to the suction box in Fig. 5 and in Fig. 6 is shown detached l and in detail. The skirt conforms in shape to the perimeter of the box but is slightly larger and is yieldingl-y supported on the box at two points by means of the spring Shanks 55 of supporting rollers 56 with which the box is equipped. The rollers are mounted at opposite ends of the box and their shanks extend through slots 51 in upstanding ears 58 located at opposite ends of the skirt and into end pockets 59 in the suction box. The assembly is best illustrated in Figs. 5 and 10. 'Ihe rollers and supports may be of the type shown in my Patent 1,541,280, dated June 58 in forming the slots 51 and these struck out tabs engage a portion of the roller shanksand serve to space the rollers at proper distances from the skirt. f

'I'he skirt may be of hard fiber, Bakelite, or other suitable material that will not mar o r soil the floor covering which it is adapted to engage. One side of the skirt is arcuately cut away as at 8| to allow for the outlet pipe 33 of the suction box and groove 62 ispressed out from the interior Vof the skirt forming a rib S3 onthe outside over which a rubber bumper 63a is applied to prevent marring the furniture or other objects with which the tool may contact. Around ent 1,533,271, dated August 14,

'may be serrated,. notched, or'groovedzonone or more sides 'or ends as a't '33 to-permit air toenter to prevent sealing the skirt air-tight upon thek iloor or other surface.

In Fig. 8 I have shown details of construction of one of the agitators with which the suction box is equipped. As illustrated, it comprises a wooden roller B1 which is actuated by the belt 45. To the roller, bristles or beater elements may be applied, depending upon the type of agitator employed. 'Through the interior of the roller 61 extends a flxed shaft 68, the ends of which are tapered and squared and are adapted to be engaged in rectangular slots 69 formedin yieldin'e fiat springs 10 secured to theends of the suction box or casing. As shown, the agitator is equipped with suitable end bearings, one of which is illustrated at 1|, and end collars 12 held in place by pins 13. The mounting of the other agitator is similar and need not be described.

Operation The operation of the cleaner apparatus will now be described. 'I'he fan motor I0 having beenstarted, dust laden air will be drawn into the dust collector from any suitable tool attached to the end of the hose pipe 32, whether it be from the suctionbox 34 or from extension tools or the like connected to the hose as illustrated in my Pat- 1925. The quantity of dust in the air entering the air lter will be clearly visible to the operator owing to the presence oi.' the transparent cap illuminatedby the lamp 23. The dust, lint, strings or other debris having been separated from the air by the filtering paper bag 23 which is supported by the outer bag 29, clean air is drawn centrally into the fancasing i1 through the inlet I3 cooling the lower bearing 4I-of the motor, and is then discharged peripherally through the exhaust outlet i2.

When the suction box 34 is to be utilized for floor cleaning purposes, the end of the hose 32 is fitted into the outlet pipe 33 thereby engaging the turned up end 5i of the spring lever 49 and bringing clutch members 41 and 43 into engagement so that the agitators 43 and 44 will be actuated by the motor ill. Since the beater and brush are belted to rotate in opposite directions there will be no strain on the bearing of the pulley or on the motor shaft. The agitators `may revolve at a relatively slow rate owing to the small diameter of the pulley or sleeve 46 to which they are belted. This permits the motor to drive the fan il at a sufilcient peripheral speed to produce the necessary suction. The large diameter of the fan also makes possible the relatively slow rotation of the agitators.

When the cleaner is used `upon a carpet with a deep nap, the beater tends to brush the nap in one direction and the brush to move it in the n opposite direction.I 'I'he combined actlonof the two is to leave the nap standing erect after the raising or' lowering the handle 3| While the main portion of the floor ytool is tilted the mouth of the skirt, or surface engaging member I4, remains substantially ush with the surface being cleaned, as illustrated in Fig. 5. When the' tool is tilted rearwardly by lowering the handle, the agitator -43 will bev brought into frictional contact with the surface being cleaned and consequently will tend to move theapparatus forwardly,l thus relieving the operator in whole or in part of the labor of pushing the cleaner. On

' the other hand, when the handle is raised, the

front agitator 44 will tend to move the apparatus in the opposite direction.

When a suicient amount4 of dust has been collected from the filtering device, which can be determined by inspection through the transparent `top of the cleaner, the cover may be'withdrawn through the agency of the handle 3|, the cap 2i carrying with it the inner paper bag 26 which is then separated from the cap by removing the rubber band 21 whereupon the paper bag and contents may be thrown away, burned or otherwise destroyed and a fresh bag attached to the cap andreplaced in the caddy.

'I'he amount of dust remaining on the surface being cleaned may be determined by the operator by simply glancing at the transparent cap during the cleaning operation and if the air being i drawn in is relatively clear, it will be apparent that the surface has been adequately cleaned.

The invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration, but it will be obviousv that variations and modiilcations may'be re sortedto without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A suctioncleaner having a door tool including a suction nozzle, means for yieldingly and tiltingly supporting said suction nozzle in a position normally slightly elevated above the floor,

comprising a single pair of rollers mounted on spring supports at opposite ends of a longitudinal axispassing through the nozzle, a pair of oppositely rotating agitators mounted on axes parallel to thecommon axis of said end rollers, one agiports maintained in said pockets, and ,a surface engaging skirt surrounding said suction box and yieldingly supported by said roller supports.

3. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 2.

wherein the skirt is spaced slightly from the suctionbox and sealing means is interposed between the two. i

4. A floor tool for suction cleaners, comprising an open ymouthed nozzle'casing, a pair fof-supporting end rollers having their common axis passing through the longitudinal center of the casing, and servingto support the casing above the floor, while permitting the same to be tilted forwardly or rearwardly about 'said rollers as fulcrums, roller Shanks extending vbeyond the nozzle casing, anda sealing skirt supported on said shanks and extending completely around the casing, and projecting below the same into l effective contact with the floor or other surface.

5. In a `suction cleaner, in combination with a suction nozzle a pair'of spring roller supports extending laterally in opposite directions from said-nozzle, rollers mounted on said supports,

normally urging the skirt downwardly and the nozzle upwardly, said means comprising roller Shanks and supplementing spring elements there` for supported at `the ends of the nozzle, and rollers mounted on said Shanks.

DANIEL BENSON REPLOGLE. 

